UK consumers are crying out for restaurants to implement AI tools so they can get more personalised discounts and loyalty rewards, as well as faster ordering and shorter waits but ultimately they want the reassurance of human interaction too.
So says a new study by global tech platform Toast, which reveals that Britain’s diners want AI to know them better.
When asked what they wanted more of when it came to the use of AI-powered improvements in restaurants, top of the list (23%) was more tailored discounts and loyalty rewards, followed closely by faster ordering and shorter waits (22%).
This coincides with how operators are implementing the technology too, with just under a third (30%) using AI to personalise offers, loyalty rewards or promotions, and with a further 34% actively trialling it.
If these tests convert to full adoption, the number of UK restaurants personalising with AI could roughly double, the report states.
Nearly three-fifths (58%) of restaurant managers who use AI, say the use of the tech in marketing and customer engagement has increased both customer visits and spend, the clearest indicator that AI being used to entice diners with personalised deals and offers is delivering a commercial return.
Looking at the next 12 months, marketing and customer acquisition is also the single most likely area to receive AI investment, cited by 23% of operators, ahead of inventory and waste reduction (14%), POS systems (11%) and guest-facing ordering technology (11%).
One of the biggest opportunities for restaurants, however, is that two-thirds (65%) of diners said they would be more likely to choose an eatery that clearly discloses when and why prices or offers change.
In fact, 81% of operators say AI-informed pricing has led them to lower or hold a price they might otherwise have raised, in order to stay competitive or protect customer loyalty. Diners who have encountered it broadly agree. Among the 69% who say they have noticed AI-driven or dynamic pricing, 31% say it made them feel they got a good deal.
When diners were asked what would most increase their trust in restaurant AI, the runaway answer at 47% was knowing they can easily reach a human if something goes wrong.
Diners were equally clear about the moments AI should not own, naming resolving a complaint (25%) and answering questions about allergens or dietary needs (17%) as the least appropriate situations for automation.
Toast senior director of product management Gaurav Nakhare commented: “Diners care most about getting a good deal and having a great time, the use of AI can support all of these things and we are seeing this from operators in our survey reporting that using it in their marketing has helped increase revenue and visits.
“Going forward, further transparency is needed with diners around how AI is used to provide them with personalised deals and respecting diner privacy. Crucially, high stakes areas like allergen information and customer complaints must maintain human oversight at their core.
“Restaurants that balance AI adoption within their marketing are best positioned to see strong commercial gains.”
Related stories
Human league: Word of mouth beats AI for brand loyalty
ISBA: 99% of brands are using GenAI, few see benefits
Three priorities for CMOs in the new AI-driven world
PwC: Act now so that data and tech spend gets results
Gartner: Industry must grasp ‘AI nettle’ or wither on vine
Be the first to comment on "Brits hungry for AI to dish up personalised rewards"